What Is Autonomous Driving?
A autonomous driving system, also known as self-driving car or vehicle, is a computerized system that enables vehicles to operate without human intervention. This technology uses sensors, GPS, cameras, and other devices to detect and respond to their surroundings.
Autonomous driving systems can be divided into several categories:
- Candidate environments: These are areas where autonomous vehicles are already operating, such as city streets, highways, or parking garages.
- Unmanned environment (UE) scenarios: This refers to the areas outside of the candidate environment, such as natural terrain, construction sites, or rural areas.
The main components of an autonomous driving system include:
- Sensors: These are devices that detect and measure various environmental factors, such as road conditions, traffic, weather, and obstacles.
- Software: This is the central processing unit of the autonomous vehicle, responsible for processing data from sensors, making decisions, and controlling the vehicle's actions.
The development of autonomous driving technology has made significant progress in recent years, with several companies and governments investing heavily in research and development. However, there are still challenges to overcome before this technology can become widely adopted.